110 Unit 07 | For science! While the consequences of global warming can already be felt quite noticeably in many parts of the world, there are still people who deny that it is taking place or refuse to accept that climate change is man-made. One myth of global warming is that more energy from the sun reaches the earth, thus increasing its temperature. But science can usually prove such assumptions wrong. Read the statements below. With the help of the chart, change the underlined expressions and write the correct version of the statements into your notebook. 1 I n the first half of the 20th century, there were insignificant fluctuations in solar activity, in this chart represented by the red line. 2 A noticeable decline in solar activity took place in the 1960s, correlating with a decrease in global temperatures. 3 A possible explanation for the fact that global temperatures have remained stable since 1980 would be human activity. 4 G lobal temperatures have risen dramatically since the 1940s, while solar activity has shown a constantly decreasing trend. 5 A fter a slight fall in the 1980s, solar activity increased again between 2000 and 2008, while temperatures on earth remained constant overall. 6 I f we compare the graphs, we can see that solar activity has increased, while temperatures on earth have risen sharply, leading us to conclude that solar activity has a direct influence on global temperatures. Compare your results with a partner. Did you find the same mistakes? READING 18 a Temperature vs solar activity –0.5 –1.0 0.0 1362 1363 1361 1360 1880 1900 1920 1940 1960 Solar irradiance4 11-year average Temperature 11-year average Year 1980 2000 2020 0.5 Temperature change (° C) Total solar irradiance (W m—2) 1.0 b Strategies box Note the difference between describing and analysing a chart: Describing: What you can actually see in the chart, what the chart shows. Give some information on the title (if there is one) and the type of chart (bar chart, pie chart, line graph). Then explain what the axes, labels or sectors tell you, and what major changes or differences you can see. Analysing: How you can interpret what the chart shows. Explain briefly what the chart is about and give possible reasons for the changes and differences. Focus on the main points or aspects shown in the chart. Then explain what the results could tell you about the topic and draw conclusions. Which of the sentences in 18a describe and which of them analyse the chart? Together with a partner, find a chart about climate change. Write five sentences about it; at least one of them needs to be analytic. Get together with another pair and compare your results. c WRITING 19 a b 4 solar irradiance: Sonnenhelligkeit (Energieeinstrahlung der Sonne pro Quadratmeter auf der Erde) Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv
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